Should debug nodes be capable of passing the message forwards?

Core Development
21

I feel a bit uneasy about changing what the flow does simply with a click (or a touch for touchscreens) with no visual change or requiring deployment.

Right click is just my preferred way to have a context sensitive list of actions in any program, including Node-red.
I don't currently have a touchscreen but doesn't a long touch do it?

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22

I was thinking change the small dot from filled to unfilled (or fill colour change) - so yes totally expect to be a visual change on click (or hover) ... like the debug button goes from filled to grey.

23
  • Please isolate from mains before editing this flow. :slight_smile:
24

I did implement message tracing in the introspection node package. What you can do there is highlight a node and its messages are pushed to the debug panel. This can be done without redeploying anything, so it's "always on".

I use it for finding the specific pathway a message takes (i.e. i've forgotten how my code works!).

But yes it can lead to swamping the editor, so should be used with care.

25

Ooooh. That's a curve ball and I'm liking the possibilities this approach could surface.

26

And we have the Node-RED Debugger plugin which this all falls into the remit of. Not going to reinvent the wheel here. It may be we add to the Debugger plugin and consider making it install by default in NR 5

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27

Always with the negative waves Moriarty.

28

I agree. No need to change basic nodes which would break downgrade compatibility.

29

Sapristi Nabolas ! And thereā€™s more where that came from ā€¦

30

Ha! I had to look that one up!

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31

Sacrebleu

[edit] my OG quote was from Sergeant Oddball ( Donald Sutherland ), not the Goon show for those that may of missed it.

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32

I figured Moriarty was the clue, so I spent the afternoon leaving through the complete works of Conan Doyle.

Dave can expect a speckled band through the post as punishment. :grin:

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33

Simple POC of @TotallyInformation thought
Screen Recording 2025-02-01 at 17.18.36

Happy to raise PR if requested.

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34

Seems nice and simple - gets the job done for minimal change and effort. :slight_smile:

35

Well currently it doesn't quite - as (currently implemented) there is no extra flag so the connector only appears if the sidebar output is turned off - but you still can send to console or status.

36

Not too hard to do though right? I'd do something myself but just about to join a murder-mystery evening with friends. :rofl:

37

Moriarty didi it !

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38

Good discussion.
I have another proposal, if I may.
The "new" debug node could always have connectors on in and out. The "tickable" button to activate/deactivate the debug would be on the debug node itself and not at the right.
We already have "tickable" boxes at the beginning (inject, cron-plus) at the end, the current debug.
Why not adding a third possible position ?
Like that, we could keep the debug node in the middle of the flows and activate it on demand without any re-wiring.

39

Julian in the study with the keyboard.

2 Likes
40

That could only be true if he flew on Concord (which is where this is set) :grin:

Far more likely!

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